the idol factory “An idol is anything that is central in my life, anything that seems to be essential. Anything by which I live or depend.” D. M. Lloyd-Jones Theologian John Calvin said that the heart is a “perpetual factory of idols.” We are constantly looking for things to worship, and making the good things […]

When February 14th rolls around each year, chocolate hearts and fragrant flowers promise us a day full of warm and fuzzy feelings. Cheesy cards and red roses fill the stores, reminding us all that love is in the air (or at least it should be). And while a day spent eating candy and passing out […]

Western culture loves its buzzwords, and “balance” is one that’s been circulating for a while. We constantly lament the lack of balance in our lives, search for the right methods to secure it, envy others who seem to have it, celebrate when we manage to feel we’ve achieved it, and even make it the object […]

I often find myself drifting into contemplative states—ones in which I look back and replay certain parts of my life to analyze them all over again. They can be sweet, nostalgic trips into my past, but they can also take me back to seasons that do not feel worth reliving. Regardless of where my thoughts […]

I have learned, and am learning still, that we are called to pour forth every facet of our lives in worship. There are many spheres of our lives (motherhood being one that I am knee-deep in at the moment) in which we have the opportunity to present a beautiful aroma of worship to the Lord […]

three single women “What? You have three ladies living in your basement?! I bet you’re looking forward to the day you can have the whole house to yourself.…” I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve received comments like this when we tell people we have three single women living in our home, and have […]

Every year I find myself glued to the TV screen watching a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie. Within the first five minutes I can usually gauge what the characters will be like, who will end up falling in love with whom, and how the ending will turn out—which we all know is “happily ever after.” Even […]

Fellowship is so much more than potluck dinners and ice cream socials. It’s more than hanging out with people before small group and shaking hands in the hallways at church. And while fellowship includes friendship, fun, and usually food, it’s so much more than all of those things. Fellowship is bonding over a shared “something”—a […]

When we were first married, my husband and I, like many young couples, had opposite expectations for many things. When our first anniversary rolled around, he wanted to go camping but I wanted to go to Malibu. When buying items for our first Christmas, he grabbed the colored Christmas lights and I grabbed the white. […]

I grew up in a loving home and am blessed with two parents who deeply love God and each other. My father is also a pastor. There are a myriad of reactions I get when this comes up in conversation—mostly knowing looks, sometimes sympathetic ones. I told this to one woman who turned to my […]